The Drought
by Ktunes
Summary: Ash, May & the gang investigate some strange effects of a drought that may not be what it seems. [Sequel to Without A Trace][Advanceshipping][Title may change][HOLD]
1. A Swimming Trip Gone Bad

Sequel to Without a Trace; be sure to read that first!

**DISCLAIMER**: Pokemon, I do not own. ): No copyright infringement intended, thanks.

Rated for later chapters

-----------------------------------------------

It was pretty late in the afternoon, the sun hot and boiling down on the little town of Lavender. People went from place to place quickly, not wanting to be caught in the strange heat wave for long. It hadn't rained for four days over the Lavender, Celadon and Cerulean areas. The drought was highly out of place, but expected to stay for awhile, said weather experts.

The unusually hot day made great for swimming, which was why May had dragged Ash, Brock, and Max out to Route 12 just south of Lavender, which was a maze of beach, fisher and bridge. Ash, of course, had been the one to give in – at about two weeks after coming home with their rescued friends, everyone knew about Ash and May's new relationship. Mrs. Ketchum was not letting them go anywhere alone, which was really just fine for the two – all they wanted was to hold hands, cuddle, or kiss. Ash was not big on the kissing thing though, it was awkward for him. What was he supposed to do with his nose anyway?

"Ash! Are you just going to stand there all day or get in the water?"

Ash snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at May, who was already in the water. Max and Brock had already changed into their swimming trunks and were making waves. Ash was in his swimming trunks, but oddly, he didn't want to swim. He had brought Pikachu, Corphish and Totodile, who were playing in the shallows with Brock's Mudkip. May's Eevee, Squirtle and Skitty were also playing in the water close by.

"Well... I guess I'll get in." Ash hesitantly ducked below the bridge, crossing the sand and reaching the water's edge. May waved him in and Ash swam out to his friends. He splashed Max and got splashed back. Max then proceeded to send wave after wave of water with Squirtle's help at Brock. Ash swam over to May and playfully ducked her underwater. She grabbed his waist and brought him under with her. Ash took a gulp of air before his head went underwater, and he tugged May off of him and started swimming around her. She grabbed his foot and tickled him. He started laughing, sputtered, and surfaced. She followed, and laughed. Ash laughed too once he was able to breathe again, and Max and a very wet Brock joined in.

They played in the water for several hours, until the sun started to go down. It was still quite warm out, but the group swam to the shore and began to gather their things. May changed from her two-piece to her regular clothes in the privacy of the guard house while the boys picked up. They were walking back to Lavender when things began to get strange.

They were headed to the PokeCenter to phone Ash's mother. They planned to stay there for a few days and find out more about the drought. The sun was just dipping beyond the horizon when an eerie sound covered the sound barrier. Everyone clamped their hands over their ears. It was a horrible sound, indescribable, a high-pitched wail of sorts, and a grinding sound too. When the noise died away, everyone looked around, trying to find the source.

"What the heck was that?" Max asked, pulling his glasses off to make sure they had not cracked.

"I have no idea, but it can't be good." That was from Brock.

Ash was about to agree when suddenly, the Pokemon Tower exploded above them. Several people screamed and Ash, May and the gang ran and dodged falling bits of the Tower. When it was over, there was a huge gaping hole in the Pokemon Tower. Onlookers stared up, horrified, at the Tower, and others began to investigate. The gang looked at each other for a moment, and then headed towards the Tower as well.

They had come for swimming, but they were about to get another adventure.


	2. Secret Door

The group halted at the foot of the Tower. The entrance had been blocked off by large bits from the Tower's wall and floors. Several of the top floors had collapsed and brought the lower floors with them, and some of the floor had spilled out and covered the entrance. Not that anyone had planned on getting in that way. Since the sun was going down, most people had retreated to their homes, but a select few were staying to either investigate or help out. Ash, May, Max and Brock were in the group.

"Wow, it looks like a bomb went off in there," Max murmured.

Brock nodded grimly. "I wonder if that sound had anything to do with it?"

May looked at Brock curiously and asked, "Do you think it was a signal?"

"A signal?" Ash asked before Brock could answer.

"You know, like when that sound went off, someone was supposed to blow the Tower."

"Oh."

"I don't know," Brock interrupted the two, "but I want to find out. Ash?"

"What?"

"What Pokemon did you bring?"

Ash looked a little sheepish. Pikachu looked up from his spot on the ground between Ash and May, and crawled up Ash's clothes to his shoulder. "I only brought Pikachu, Totodile, and Corphish."

Brock sighed, shook his head, and threw a Pokeball. He threw it with a cry of, "Go, Onix!"

The Rock Snake Pokemon emerged and looked at Brock. May looked from Onix to Brock and said nervously, "We aren't tunneling into the building, are we?" Brock laughed and shook his head. "'Course not. I though Onix could help move stuff though." Brock pointed at the small group that was moving debris and headed that way. Max looked at from his sister to Brock and back again, went pale for a moment, then turned around and ran after Brock. "Don't leave me with those two!"

Ash laughed and started following him when May pulled on his arm, holding him back. He looked at her curiously, and she motioned for him to follow her. He did, and she lead him towards the Tower. "I thought I saw something over here," she said, looking at the large black wall that stood before them. "Something like a door." Ash looked along the wall, which hadn't been damaged by the explosion or the falling debris. He saw something glint. A crack?

Ash pointed and two walked over to the gleam. It didn't look like a crack, it was too straight, and it made a rectangle. Ash also found it was large enough for a finger to fit between the slabs of whatever the wall was made of. He gave a push, and felt it budge. "You were right," he said, pushing harder. May helped, pushing against the weird door with her hands. The door gave a croak and fell open, and the teens toppled to the floor. Dust flew up and they coughed as it settled. The door revealed some sort of abandoned hallway into the Pokemon Tower. Ash tried to see the end of the hallway, but it was too dark. He looked for Pikachu, who was nearby from toppling off of Ash's shoulder. "Come on, Pikachu," Ash said, standing up. Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder as he helped May up. "We're going in there?" May asked in surprise.

Ash nodded, looking confused. "We discovered a secret door and we're not even going to see where it leads?"

"Well... what if the Tower collapses?"

"It won't. You saw the explosion; it didn't fall then, did it?"

"No, but what if it _does_ fall, Ash?"

"Come on, May! You don't have to come, but I'm going. You can tell Brock when he gets back."

"No way! I'm coming with you!" May took after the sixteen-going-on-seventeen year old boy, deeper into the darkness. There was no light since there was night-time outside. They walked for about ten minutes in a straight line. Ash held May's right hand with his left and had his right hand brush along the right wall. May's left hand grazed the left wall so they wouldn't miss any turns. Ash, who was in the lead, stopped suddenly, thinking he heard something. A groan kind of noise. May grabbed his arm and pressed up against him. The noise ended in a slam that slightly shook the foundation of the Tower. Dust flaked from the ceiling as the gigantic building settled, and May jumped as the ceiling to the passage crumbled behind her, blocking their way back.

"What just happened?" May asked, and Ash's eyes widened as he realized what had occurred. Pikachu clung to his vest as he spun around to face May, who was invisible to him in the dark. He gripped her hand tightly, trying to hide his fear as he cleared his throat. He wasn't afraid of the dark... what he _was_ afraid of was being in the dark in a secret passageway in a building that had recently exploded, and their only known way out gone.

"The door closed and it caused some sort of cave-in."


End file.
